Security Complications

So Sam, Erin (his girlfriend), and I flew to Chicago on Sunday night. Since I was moving all my stuff home, and Sam and Erin were just coming home to visit they agreed to take suitcases for me. Out of 6 suitcases between the 3 of us, 5 of them were full of my stuff. Also, out of 6 carry-ons, 3 of them were mine, BUT I got EVERYTHING that I needed home by plane! Including 2 comforter sets, my clothes, shoes, books, notebooks, laptops, pictures, and other random items. Anyway, one of the bags we were going to use as a carry-on was my 72 hour kit mom sent to school with me. I thought nothing of the bag and had Erin take it as a carry-on. I made it through security and was trying to get my stuff situated when I looked back to see that Erin and Sam were pointing at me with the purple backpack that served as my 72 hour kit. I went over to see what the problem was. Little to my knowledge but stowed in the front pocket behind a trashbag was a pocket knife, not to mention also in the bag were 4 water bottles, 2 cans of soup, matches, flammable sun screen and a couple other problematic items. I had to go to the gift shop, buy an envelope and send the pocket knife home--everything else got thrown away. THEN, we found out that Erin had, in the bottom of her bag, a self-defense weapon she got from Tai-Kwon-Do (or however you spell that..). Security didn't like this very much. They patted her down, then made her fill out an incident report. This weapon too, was put in the envelope to be sent home. It was such a FUN experience...quite entertaining now that it's over! We made it to our flight, which left late, then made it to our other flight right before boarding, and then landed in Chicago around 11:30 central time. We made it home at 4am Tuesday morning! It's good to be home for Christmas! :D

Moral of the story: Don't take weapons OR liquids through airports with you...people don't like it much :)

<3 Family, Friends, and More <3

I have been taking a family foundations class this semester and I have learned so much! It has easily been one of my favorites! However it has made me miss my family so much! I'm excited to travel home to see them! I'm also very excited that I will get to take a paid vacation (with the plane ticket paid) to go home to see my family while I am nannying! I think it's very easy to take your family for granted until you've been without them and remember all the good and defining moments you've had together! I'm excited to go home!

Other updates:
I started dating a guy named Curtis. He's a real sweetheart. I didn't think I'd start dating anyone because of long distance, but I am! It will be sort of difficult, but we already have a "long distance" relationship. He lives in Logan (for school) and so I don't get to see him very much. But we talk everyday and have gotten to know each other pretty well, although there is still a lot to learn! He makes me happy and he is coming up to visit tomorrow. I think he is leaving Sunday evening to go home to Salt Lake. I am excited to see him.

Classes are almost over! I've got one more project to complete. Five homework assignments, three quizzes, and six tests (two of which are NOT finals). I need to practice the piano--the choir is singing on Monday night for FHE. Also, my apartment is hosting a hot chocolate night on Sunday at 6:30, so got to get ready for that as well! Then next Friday I will spend all day packing and cleaning. Saturday morning I leave for Salt Lake at 9:30am and arrive around 1:30ish. I fly out Sunday around 8:30pm and get home sometime early in the morning on Monday. I'm then home until the 2nd of January and then I fly out to Arizona! Everything is happening so fast! It's exciting and stressful all at once!

Well, that's practically everything that I've been up to! I'm certainly keeping busy! :D

Holy Intense!

I was given this quote to answer a question for a class of mine. The question is: What can you do to avoid wild speculation and extravagance in your own life? I thought it was a fairly intense and interesting quote...sort of makes me want to be dead before this happens..I guess we will find out, won't we?

"An army of Elders will be sent to the four quarters of the earth to search out the righteous and warn the wicked of what is coming. All kinds of religions will be started and miracles performed that will deceive the very elect if that were possible. Our sons and daughters must live pure lives so as to be prepared for what is coming. After a while the gentiles will gather by the thousands to this place, and Salt Lake City will be classed among the wicked cities of the world. A spirit of speculation and extravagance will take possession of the Saints, and the results will be financial bondage. Persecution comes next and all true Latter-day Saints will be tested to the limit. Many will apostatize and others will be still not knowing what to do. Darkness will cover the earth and gross darkness the minds of the people. The judgments of God will be poured out on the wicked to the extent that our Elders from far and near will be called home, or in other words the gospel will be taken from the Gentiles and later on carried to the Jews. The western boundary of the State of Missouri will be swept so clean of its inhabitants that as President Young tells us, when you return to that place, there will not be left so much as a yellow dog to wag his tail. Before that day comes, however, the Saints will be put to tests that will try the integrity of the best of them. The pressure will become so great that the more righteous among them will cry unto the Lord day and night until deliverance comes...

(Blaine and Brenton Yorgason, Spiritual Survival in the Last Days [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1990], 41.)